the birthday girl revisited

 and finally {musical interlude}...
part two of the first birthday coverage coming to you
from this shamefully late Mama


{be forewarned, ladies and gentlemen, you are about to embark on quite the photo adventure...in other words, I wanted you all to feel just as if you were really there at the party... it has absolutely nothing to do whatsoever with the fact that I am a crazily adoring fan of the birthday girlie...} 
moving on...


this is our kitchen...oh, that's right, this isn't a house tour is it?
let's try that again
this is the center of all delightful goodness...this table right here...mmm...mmm...good...


white cupcakes with buttercream frosting for the little ones
and a coconut cake with cream cheese frosting for
the rest of us

we tried to get a picture of all of the little cousins...

but, alas, you with small children know

sometimes these things do not turn out as one would hope... {smile}

ellie did really well the whole time, though in this

picture she certainly looks like a grumpy birthday bunny

she actually blew her birthday candle out herself!!

hmmm...

she didn't much care for the frosting at all...
but it didn't take her long to figure
out how to dispose of it...

and get to the good stuff!!

there is no way to explain
how much this mama loves her little girlie

she gave me the cutest kiss all of a sudden,
and Rachel caught it on camera for me  {happy}

Daddy had to leave part way through the party
{sad}
(just thought I ought to explain why he isn't in any more of the pictures...
we really love him...we really, really do!!!)


time to open a few presents...

"Ellie, say 'thank-you' for the gift" says Mommy;
and this is her reaction...my silly, sweet little girl

enjoying some fun time in her toy basket...
all her idea, by the way
with Auntie Ashley's approval, of course {grin}

all of the grandparents
from left to right:  Jay and Tracy Rickel, Ellie's great-Grandpa Schmid and his wife Donna, and my parents there on the end...ah yes, and a "happy" little granddaughter in the middle of it all  {smirk}

getting silly...

absolutely exhausted, as I'm sure you are too by now...
having finally made it through all these pictures


{by the way, this is how miss ellie falls asleep these days, by 
rubbing her bunny's soft ear up and down her cheek, until she
lulls herself to sleep.  too cute. just too cute.}

it was a wonderful, happy day altogether! 
and I hope you enjoyed being a little part of it too...